Commuting in Melbourne it would be ridiculous to wave at all the cyclists, there are just too many, even in winter. I can appreciate the cammaraderie of waving but when you pull up at the lights and there are 20 bikes it just becomes untenable.

gtfpv cycler wrote:seeing this is a whinge fest , this will save me starting a thread on the subject of rea cycling princesses !!!! why dont they give the courtousy wave and acknowledge other cyclists , us men all do , women dont !!! whats the go here . do they think if a man waves at them going the other direction on a bicycle we're trying to pick up sex or something , or are they just plain right rude , or shy , or i am ugly . i just havent worked that one out yet , my advice to women though , is get a bone up ya , and wave . it is called manners .

Im inconsistent. Sometimes I'll wave and nod to all and sundry and chat to the guy at the lights on the bso with his helmet on backwards, while other times I'm the snob who ingores everyone. I'll always return a nod/wave, if I notice it though.

If someone talks to me at the lights, I will have a conversation! Some of my bikes tend to ellicit that kind of response, particularly the xtracycle and the Surly LHT.... but also the Bike Friday if I'm towing the travelcase trailer.... if I don't want people to talk to me, I'll ride the Giant.

DavidS wrote:Commuting in Melbourne it would be ridiculous to wave at all the cyclists, there are just too many, even in winter. I can appreciate the cammaraderie of waving but when you pull up at the lights and there are 20 bikes it just becomes untenable.

DS

I think it depends on the context this is true on beach road in melb.

Cycling down beach road... Got a wave from one guy - didn't know him ... The funny think is i somehow expected the next group of cyclists to wave at me, but of course they didn't. The moral of the story is to not wave at people at all and be unfriendly. I always ask on beach rd whether i can suck wheel though.

Fletcher wrote:Im inconsistent. Sometimes I'll wave and nod to all and sundry and chat to the guy at the lights on the bso with his helmet on backwards, while other times I'm the snob who ingores everyone. I'll always return a nod/wave, if I notice it though.

Thats me - half the time I can't be bothered or in a world of pain . Also, sometimes what is the point waving to a real random as opposed to the guy you see on your commute 2-3 times a week ? It's also dangerous in busy high traffic moments. Although if i was in the country - I would be a lot friendlier. (My 2c)

jules21 wrote:but when i overtook a guy today on his bike, he berated me (mildly). it was wet, but the path was adequately wide (with marked centreline) and i didn't blow past him. i did actually try to call out "passing" but i was a bit breathless after a hill and in the mornings, sometimes my voicebox isn't warmed up yet so not much came out. anyway, what's the big deal? there was sufficient room.

A good bell works in this situation.

jules21 wrote:the other day i took a phone call while riding along a particularly straight, wide and mostly empty shared path. riding no hands as i chatting (it was an important call), there was nothing to hit. yet another rider came past and gave me an absolute serve. i know technically she was right, but honestly, there was clearly no real danger to anyone. i caught up with her later and she was very polite, but then insulted me as i rode off (she stayed put) - classy.

Last time I checked, both these things are illegal on a public road. There is probably a reason for that and a good reason to pull over. Had to remind a friend to pull over while riding to take a call a few days ago.

Nobody wrote:Last time I checked, both these things are illegal on a public road. There is probably a reason for that and a good reason to pull over. Had to remind a friend to pull over while riding to take a call a few days ago.

i don't dispute that. but sometimes you can break the law in circumstances that don't pose a significant risk to anyone - a victimless crime. i dare say there wouldn't be many people who don't do that in small ways, every day.

Nobody wrote:Last time I checked, both these things are illegal on a public road. There is probably a reason for that and a good reason to pull over. Had to remind a friend to pull over while riding to take a call a few days ago.

i don't dispute that. but sometimes you can break the law in circumstances that don't pose a significant risk to anyone - a victimless crime. i dare say there wouldn't be many people who don't do that in small ways, every day.

Nothing to hit except the rider you didnt see coming along from behind you. You wouldnt do it in a car, why do it on a bike? Or would you do it in a car?

If someone waves to me, I return. I dont initiate that often cause I'm generally pretty blinkered on deal with traffic to notice other bikes unless they pass me/I pass them.

familyguy wrote: Nothing to hit except the rider you didnt see coming along from behind you.

i just hold my line - it's up to the rider from behind to overtake safely. i don't need to see them coming up and wouldn't anyway, with or without talking on a phone.

familyguy wrote:You wouldnt do it in a car, why do it on a bike? Or would you do it in a car?

generally no, as driving in urban areas typically demands 100% concentration. but my objective is to drive and ride safely, moreso than adhere to every one of the 100s of rules that are designed to help people who don't understand how to make sensible decisions for themselves.

familyguy wrote:Nothing to hit except the rider you didnt see coming along from behind you. You wouldnt do it in a car, why do it on a bike?

Good point. I've come closer than comfortable on two occasions this year to hitting another bike rider because the person in front I was passing decided to ride no-hands on a shared path. It looks OK initially, so you call and go to pass to find them drift toward you. It is only then you notice from their wobbling and their uprightness that they were riding no-hands. Some people seem to have this strange notion that there is no threat from passing bikes on a shared path.

Nobody wrote: It looks OK initially, so you call and go to pass to find them drift toward you.

proof positive that it is unsafe to ride no hands, if you can't hold a straight line. i can do that and even comfortably take gentle corners no hands. no i'm not clever but riding a bit in a straight, clear line no hands isn't dangerous, if you can control the bike.

jules21 wrote:now let's be honest here - some cyclists on shared paths are rude p*****s. there's one guy i see every now and then who screams abuse at pedestrians as he hurls himself down a slope at breakneck speed - maybe his wife is due to give birth or something and it keeps getting delayed? these people are fair game.

Had a female rider like on the northern PSP last year ... she would run the red light and then yell at peds if they where in her "way" and cyclists (who dared pass here). Haven't seen her this year so no idea what has happened to her.

The ones I get upset at are the ones who put me at risk, e.g., passing on blind corners.

jules21 wrote:now let's be honest here - some cyclists on shared paths are rude p*****s. there's one guy i see every now and then who screams abuse at pedestrians as he hurls himself down a slope at breakneck speed - maybe his wife is due to give birth or something and it keeps getting delayed? these people are fair game.

Had a female rider like on the northern PSP last year ... she would run the red light and then yell at peds if they where in her "way" and cyclists (who dared pass here). Haven't seen her this year so no idea what has happened to her.

The ones I get upset at are the ones who put me at risk, e.g., passing on blind corners.

Andrew

It's easy to put these champions in their place. They're usually deeply insecure to be acting like that. A comment about inadequate bedroom performance from a complete stranger takes the wind out of any sail

Either that or "your mum was yelling that loud in my bed last night, you've got the same mouth on you as she does"

Funnily enough, this Trek rider I have seen over the last few weeks finally said "hello" to me. Took me by surprise. Usually he ignores me - one of those non-wearing helmet types - and pretends I don't exist. But yesterday he finally did. Still the grumpy sort though and probably lacking in social skills etc etc etc

CommuRider wrote:Funnily enough, this Trek rider I have seen over the last few weeks finally said "hello" to me. Took me by surprise. Usually he ignores me - one of those non-wearing helmet types - and pretends I don't exist. But yesterday he finally did. Still the grumpy sort though and probably lacking in social skills etc etc etc

CommuRider wrote:Funnily enough, this Trek rider I have seen over the last few weeks finally said "hello" to me. Took me by surprise. Usually he ignores me - one of those non-wearing helmet types - and pretends I don't exist. But yesterday he finally did. Still the grumpy sort though and probably lacking in social skills etc etc etc

Do bike commuters really expect all other bike riders to say "hello"?

No, but if you see the same rider often enough, then it should be polite to at least smile....

Xplora wrote:It's easy to put these champions in their place. They're usually deeply insecure to be acting like that. A comment about inadequate bedroom performance from a complete stranger takes the wind out of any sail

Either that or "your mum was yelling that loud in my bed last night, you've got the same mouth on you as she does"

Who is online

About the Australian Cycling Forums

The largest cycling discussion forum in Australia for all things bike; from new riders to seasoned bike nuts, the Australian Cycling Forums are a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.